1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing new digital media services via an enhanced encryption/decryption system to a set-top box.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been an increase in the interest in and use of cable and satellite television services. Set-top boxes (STB) utilized to receive such services may also be used to offer additional advanced services that may require a monthly subscription. For example, personal video recording and video games may be offered though the STB by a broadcast provider. However, prior art/legacy systems have many disadvantages. For example, previous legacy STBs without media data storage capability require manipulation of data in real-time. Further, current STBs designed to support video/audio do not efficiently allow authorizing of non-video services. Additionally, there is no secure means for processing and authorizing/deauthorizing various different types of digital media content. These problems may be better understood by describing prior art service activation techniques and services.
In the prior art broadcast services are generally encrypted at the broadcast headend, and the conditional access controls (e.g., service activation and entitlement checking) are based on the delivery of the correct decryption key (or control word [CW]). Conditional access for digital direct broadcast satellite (DBS) systems usually use a conditional access module (CAM) such as a smart card, for broadcast service activation. Authorizations for services provided by the CAM are received by the CAM in over-the-air conditional access packets (CAPs). Broadcast services and programs are accompanied by program associated data (PAD) that specifies the services required for reception of that program, as well as possible limitations (e.g., regional blackout, parental rating controls). The PAD and CW for current programs are delivered via control word packets (CWP) to the CAM. The future PAD is delivered to the CAM via purchase information packets (PIP) to allow pre-purchase of impulse pay-per-view (IPPV) programs or checking authorizations before the broadcast (e.g., for guide “coloring”). Thus, based on the PADs, CWs, and CAPs; services provided by the STB and reception of broadcast services/programs may be activated.
While these legacy systems are able to control access to streaming broadcast services, such as a television program, or streaming data, the legacy conditional access (CA) and set-top box systems cannot safely and securely deliver and store data objects for digital media services. Additionally, current personal video recorder (PVR) STBs do not have a secure means to process and authorize/deauthorize digital media contents. In this regard, there is no secure means to store, retrieve, authorize, or record digital media contents.